Mental Health
Understanding the Co-occurrence of Gambling Disorder and Problematic Pornography Use: Exploring Sociodemographic and Clinical Factors.
Open Access: No.
Abstract
The co-occurrence between gambling disorder (GD) and problematic pornography use (PPU) has not yet been explored. Therefore, the present study compared (a) sociodemographic variables, (b) GD-related factors, (c) substance use, (d) psychopathology, (e) personality features, (f) impulsivity, and (g) emotion regulation between individuals with GD (GD group) and those with co-occurring GD and PPU (GD+PPU group). The sample consisted of 359 treatment-seeking individuals with GD: n = 332 individuals had GD only (GD group) and n = 37 individuals had GD and co-occurring PPU (GD+PPU group). GD severity, impulsivity, psychopathology, personality, emotion regulation, and other sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed. No between-group differences in sociodemographic measures were observed. The GD+PPU group demonstrated greater GD severity and a higher likelihood of substance use compared to those without PPU. Furthermore, the presence of PPU was associated with worse psychopathology, higher impulsivity (except for lack of premeditation and positive urgency), more difficulties in emotion regulation (except for non-acceptance of emotions and limited access to emotions), and a personality profile characterized by lower levels of self-directedness and cooperativeness. The co-occurrence of GD and PPU seems associated with a more dysfunctional clinical profile.
Relevance
Those individuals with co-occurrence of gambling disorder (GD) and problematic pornography use (PPU), compared to those with just gambling disorder, had “more severe GD” and “higher levels” of somatization, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism. They also had “higher level” of impulsivity, greater difficulties with emotional regulation, and lower levels of self-directedness and cooperativeness.
Citation
Mestre-Bach, G., Potenza, M. N., Granero, R., Uríszar, J. C., Tarragón, E., Chiclana Actis, C., Testa, G., Fernández-Aranda, F., & Jiménez-Murcia, S. (2024). Understanding the Co-occurrence of Gambling Disorder and Problematic Pornography Use: Exploring Sociodemographic and Clinical Factors. Journal of gambling studies, 40(3), 1295–1314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-023-10274-3
